Automatic can opener



April 22, 1958 w. P. FRANK ET AL 2,831,246

AUTOMATIC CAN OPENER Filed Feb. 5, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTORS 1 WILLIAM P. FRANK RICHARD W. FRANK ATTORNEY AUTOMATIC CAN OPENER William P. Frank and Richard W. Frank, Great Falls, Mont.

Application February 5, 1957, Serial No. 638,251

4 Claims. (Cl. .3D-4) This invention relates to an automatic can opener and has for an object to provide a can opener having a punch knife for opening the can mounted on a push-down solenoid actuated plunger, the circuit to which is automatically completed only when the can is in proper position under the punch knife.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved automatic can opener which includes a rugged and reliable electrically operated can opening apparatus providing a powerful can opening operation with the utmost simplicity of design, utilizing a push-type solenoid eliminating the customary complex linkages and leverages such as are conventional in the prior art.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a push-down solenoid actuated can opener having the maximum of adjustability between the base and a supported solenoid so that it may be readily adjusted to fit different sizes of cans and then secured in such adjusted position to remain in such adjusted position as long as it is intended to operate on a particular size of can.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide an automatic can opener wherein the proper positioning of the can in the base of the device serves to complete a. circuit to actuate the solenoid and thus push the can opening knife down into the blade against a yieldable means tending to withdraw the blade upwardly as soon as the circuit is interrupted by the initialwithdrawal of the movement of the can.

With the above and related objects in view, this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts, as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the automatic can opener of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view partly in section of the automatic can opener of this invention.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary exploded perspective View of the punch knife member and the plunger shaft on which it is secured.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic View of the circuit.

There is shown at the automatic can opener of this invention having a supporting base 12 and adjustable standard 14 secured on the base 12, a solenoid housing and solenoid 16 adjustably secured on the standard 14, and a push-down solenoid plunger 18 through which a plunger shaft 20 is detachably secured by a banded joint connection 22 at the upper end thereof, the lower end of the plunger shaft 2@ being provided with a reduced neck 24 on which is secured a punch knife member 26 as by countcrsunk set screws 28, thereby providing for ready interchangeability of the punch knife member 26.

Within the solenoid housing 16 there is provided the solenoid through which the plunger armature 32 extends from the plunger 1S, in the customary manner, and surrounding the upper end of the armature 32 is n coil spring 34 biased between the armature 3i) and a head arent O ICC 36 securely mounted onthe upper end `of the armature 32. The solenoid housing' 16 is adjustably mounted on' the standard 14 by set screws 38.

The standard 14 consists of two hollow telescopicallyL arranged sleeves 40 and 42secured in adjusted position by the winged screw 44. Extending up from the base 12 and through a suitable slot 46 in the upper end of .theV

outer sleeve42 tothe solenoid 30 are a pair of circuit wires 48 and 50. Each of the wires 48 and 50 is interruptedv by `a push `switch number 52 and 54 actuatable by a push button 56.and 58"'1ocated in spaced apart rev-4` lation to each other through base .20, through which the` circuit wires 48 andg'S extend to the hollow standard 14 and solenoid 30.

The other side of each switch member is connected at 60 and 62 to any suitablcsource of electrical power? either direct or alternating `,current according to the type of solenoid 30'present in the device.

Obviously, with the, adjustable features present as de-v scribed, the device illustrated may be adjusted to tit dif# ferent sized cans, and it is further obvious that the de`1 vice may be initially manufactured in diierent sizes and diterent proportions when intended to be operated'gen-v erally within a certain range of ,sizes of cans.

To further insure proper operation, a guide block 64- is adjustably mounted by set screws 66 on the standard 14, and the guide block 64 is provided with a guide shaft way 68 through which the plunger shaft 20.ils reciprocally guided in its operation.,

If desired, the entire solenoid-housing supportingr switches 52 and 54, which are in series with each other through the circuit wires, thus completing the circuit to the solenoid and actuating the knife member 26 only while the can 70 is in proper position therebelow. When the can is pushed into operating position, the circuit is completed and the knife member 26 is plunged into the top of the can making an opening through which the contents of the can may be poured.

As soon as the bottom of the can 70 is moved slightly away, one or both of the switches 52 or 54 will be interrupted, pivoting it about the line of contact between the knife member 26 and the* can top, thereby breaking the circuit to the solenoid and permitting the spring 34 to retract the armature upwardly, ready for the next actuation when another can is placed within the base, or possibly when the same can is placed back again after being rotated so as to provide a second punch vent hole therein.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting, since the invention may be variously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined as claimed.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

1. An automatic can opener comprising a solenoid having a push down armature mounted on a plunger and yieldable means normally returning said armature to actuable position while said solenoid is ineffective, a can receiving base, a pair of spaced apart switch means in said base actuable by the can to be opened when positioned in said base, a solenoid supporting hollow standard extending upward lfrom said base, circuit means extending through said hollow standard from said switch means to said solenoid, said plunger extending downwardly from Patented Apr. 22, 1958 asoman said solenoid, can opening means on the lower end of said plunger, said can opening means including a punch knife member detachably secured to one end of said plunger shaft, said spaced apart switch means being actuable by the can only when in proper position under said punch knife member.

2. An automatic can opener comprising a solenoid having a push clown armature mounted on a plunger and yieldable means normally returning said armature to actuable position while said solenoid is ineffective, a can receiving base, a pair of spaced apart switch means in said base actuatable by the can to be opened when positioned in said base, a solenoid supporting hollow standard extending upward from said base, said standard comprising a pair of telescopicallyadjustable sleeves and means forsecuring said sleeves in adjusted position, circuit means extending through said hollow standard from said switch means to said solenoid, said plunger extending downwardly from said solenoid, can opening means on the lower end of said plunger, said can opening means including a punch knife member detachably secured to one end of said plunger, a plunger guide adjustably secured on said solenoid standard, said spaced apart switch means being actuatable by the can only when in proper position under said punch knife member.

3. An automatic can opener comprising a solenoid having a push down armature mounted on a plunger and yieldable means normally returning said armature to actuable position while said solenoid is ineffective, a canl receiving base, a pair of spaced apart switch means in said base actuatable by the can to be opened when positioned in said base, a solenoid supporting hollow standard extending upward from said base, said standard comprising a pair of telescopically vadjustable sleeves and means for securing said sleeves in adjusted position, circuit means extending through said hollow standard from said switch means to said solenoid, said plunger extending downwardly from said solenoid, can opening means on the lower end of said plunger, and a bayonet joint connection between said can opening means and said plunger, said can opening means including a punch knife member detachably secured to one end of a plunger shaft, said plunger shaft having, at its other end, said bayonet joint connection, a plunger shaft guide adjustably secured on said solenoid standard, said spaced apart switch means being actuable by the can only when in proper position under said punch knife member.

4. An automatic can opener comprising a solenoid having a push down armature mounted on a plunger and yieldable means normally returning said armature to actuatable position while said solenoid is ineffective, a can receiving base, a pair of spaced apart switch means in said base actuatable by the can to be opened when positioned in said base, a solenoid supporting hollow standard extending upward from said base, said solenoid being adjustably mounted on said standard, said standard comprising a pair of telescopically adjustable sleeves and means for securing said sleeves in adjusted position, circuit means extending through said hollow standard from said switch means to said solenoid, said plunger extending downwardly from said solenoid, can opening means on the lower end of said plunger, and a bayonet joint connection between said can opening means and said plunger, said can opening means including a punch knife member detachably secured to one end of a plunger shaft, said plunger shaft having, at its other end, said bayonet joint connection, a plunger shaft lguide adjustably secured on said solenoid standard, said spaced apart switch means being actuatable by the can only when in proper position under said punch knife member,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,713,199 Spencer et al` July 19, 1955 

